Washington Senator Maria Cantwell said President Trump’s expected tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico could significantly raise costs for Washington farmers.
President Trump announced on Monday that 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico will begin on Tuesday, March 4.
According to Senator Cantwell’s office, Washington-grown and processed agricultural exports totaled $7.5 billion in 2023, with $1.3 billion-worth of exports going to Canada, Washington’s number one export market.
Mexico is the state’s fourth largest agriculture export, valued at $687 million.
The Small Business Association reports that 96% of consumers live outside the United State and two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power is in foreign countries.
Cantwell’s release states that two out of every five jobs in Washington are tied to trade and could be affected by the tariffs.
Her office points to retaliatory tariffs from other countries as the main concern around Trump’s tariffs,
“As is true for the entire United States, Canada and Mexico are among the state’s largest trading partners. Given the strong economic integration between the State of Washington and its North American trading partners, the Trump tariffs, and the likely retaliatory tariffs, could have significant and cascading impacts on local businesses and consumers, particularly in costs for energy, agricultural products and manufactured goods.”
Cantwell’s report cites Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs during his first presidential term as a warning for what could happen the second time around.
“After then-President Trump imposed Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from major trading partners in his first term, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Mexico, and Turkey responded with retaliatory tariffs on a range of U.S. exports, including agricultural and food products. From when these retaliatory tariffs were first imposed in 2018 through the end of 2019, Washington state lost at least $140 million in agriculture alone.”
Cantwell’s office also cited the Yale Budget Lab, which found that retaliatory tariffs could result in increased costs between $1,600 and $2,000 per household.
The Lab said the U.S. could expect above average price increases on electronics, cars, clothing and food.
To see Senator Cantwell’s full report, click here.
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